Arsis's Genre:

Heavy Metal, Death Metal

Biography

Formed in 2000 by a violinist and a double bassist, Virginia-based death and thrash metal outfit Arsis -- a musical term that relates to the original concept of "arsis and thesis," meaning up and down beats, to be more exact -- got their start in Boston by Berklee College of Music students and friends James Malone (the violinist) and Michael Van Dyne, arguably more as a time filler rather than a serious project. With Van Dyne taking up drumming duties (he'd spent time studying drum performance) and Malone handling all the other duties of the group, Arsis recorded their first demo in 2001, and a follow-up in 2002. After playing a handful of live shows and getting some exposure for their well-received demos, Arsis became a full-time -- not to mention serious -- project, signing their first record deal -- with Willowtip Records -- in 2004. Their debut for the indie label, A Celebration of Guilt, won them high honors in the metal music press, even earning comparisons to genre legends At the Gates -- specifically their final album, Slaughter of the Soul. Arsis also began their first bout of touring in support of their work at this point, filling out their live ranks with session musicians -- a setup that would continue for a number of years. In 2005, Arsis released the EP A Diamond for Disease, which not only won them even more critical praise, but whose title track was requisitioned by a ballet company in New York, the Ballet Deviare. Arsis began recordings on their next full-length in 2006. The album, United in Regret, was a more technical affair, produced by Daath guitarist Eyal Levi, and would help secure the band a deal with Nuclear Blast. Although the band had now reached new heights in the national metal scene, including shared stages and tours with such names as Enslaved, Goatwhore, and Cephalic Carnage, drummer -- and founder, it must be noted -- Michael Van Dyne decided to call it a day. Although down to just one official member, Arsis were ready to push forward. Composer, vocalist, and guitarist James Malone quickly rebounded, putting together a more standard-format full-time band, taking on drummer Darren Cesca, guitarist Ryan Knight, and United in Regret sessions bassist Noah Martin. (For a brief time, due to Malone losing his voice, Mike Parks took on vocal duties for Arsis. By 2007, Malone was back on the mike, and the band had decided to part ways amicably with Parks.) Arsis returned to the fore with their 2008 full-length, We Are the Nightmare, which followed in the footsteps of their previously recorded work, earning them critical praise and helping to shore up higher numbers in their nationwide fan base. A tour with legendary thrash pioneers Exodus was planned for January of that year. ~ Chris True

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Artists Related to Arsis (10)

One of the more melodic death metal bands to expand beyond Sweden and spread their sound across the world alongside peers such as Entombed, At the Gates played a significant role in the death metal genre before breaking up in 1996, leading to the formation of the Haunted.

Often considered one of grindcore's founding fathers, Carcass were among the first bands of the extreme metal genre to try a different lyrical approach -- one that reflected a fascination with surgical gadgets and peculiar words straight out of a med student's textbook.

Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth originally formed in 1988 under the name Scum; by the time the new moniker was adopted four years later, the lineup consisted of vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Anders Hansson, bassist Ted Lundstrom, and drummer Niko Kaukinen.

Detroit's the Black Dahlia Murder, named for the infamous 1947 slaying of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, actually sounds like they should live in Scandinavia, whence originates much of the frenetic brand of death and black metal that inspires them.

Toward the end of the '90s, Scandinavian death metal -- or at least one branch of it -- began to evolve into a more accessible amalgamation of death metal intensity, a bit of progressive metal experimentation, and more traditional late-'70s/early-'80s British metal, with its catchy, groove-oriented riffs and twin-guitar lead lines.

Considered to be one of the leading death metal bands to emerge from Poland in the 1990s, Behemoth have endured quite a few lineup shifts in the course of their career (especially in the bass department), with founding singer/guitarist Nergal (Adam Darski) being the only constant member.